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Shopping with a WIC Card
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Shopping for WIC Foods
WIC Transactions
Shopping for WIC Foods
What foods are on my WIC Card?
- There are ways to see what foods are on your WIC card.
- Use the My Minnesota WIC App and select Benefits after you have registered your card with the app.
- Ask a cashier to print a Balance Inquiry (a receipt that shows all the foods that are on your card) before you shop.
- Call 1-833-566-5248 (the number on the back of your WIC card) to find out what foods are on your card.
Why can I only buy certain brands with my WIC card?
Not all brands have the same nutrition value. WIC is a nutrition program that provides foods shown to increase nutrition. WIC-allowed brands are considered healthier than some other brands. Some WIC-allowed foods must be a certain size. Find out what sizes are allowed in the Minnesota WIC Shopping Guide.
What if the store doesn’t have the brands I want?
Stores must carry a certain number of different foods based on the store’s size, but they do not have to carry all the WIC brands. Ask the store manager if they can order the brand or food size you’re looking for or visit another store.
What if I don’t want all the foods on my card?
You don’t have to get all the foods on your card at one time. You must finish your transaction by midnight on the expiration date to receive your current month’s foods. Talk with your WIC clinic if you would like to make changes to the foods on your card.
What if the grocery store doesn’t have all the foods on my card?
Go to another WIC authorized grocery store or go back to the store on a different day. Call the store ahead of shopping to see if the food is in stock.
Can a store give you a “rain check” if it is out of a food?
No, a store can’t give “rain checks” for WIC foods.
Can I buy any infant formula with my WIC card?
No. You can only buy the exact type and size of formula that is on your WIC card. If you can’t find your WIC formula at your store, ask the store manager when the next order will arrive or call nearby stores to find out if it’s in stock. Call your WIC clinic if you want a different WIC allowed formula or if you continue to have trouble finding your formula. Find your clinic’s phone number in the Minnesota WIC Agency Directory.
WIC Transactions
How do I shop with my WIC card?
You may shop with your WIC card in any WIC authorized grocery store. Find WIC-authorized stores in your area using the Store Locator in the My Minnesota WIC app or search for authorized WIC Grocery Stores on the Minnesota WIC website.
Use the Minnesota WIC Shopping Guide or the My Minnesota WIC app while you shop to make sure the foods you are getting are WIC allowed and on our card. Some grocery stores place shelf labels under WIC foods to help you shop, but you’ll need to know if those foods are on the WIC card to buy using your benefits.
How do I set my PIN?
Call 1-833-566-5248 to set your PIN. The number is listed on the back of your WIC card.
How do I check out at the cash register with my WIC card?
- Keep transactions small and simple the first few times you shop. Always use your WIC card first if you are using SNAP, credit, debit, or cash to pay for other things in your transaction.
- Most store have a cash register system that shows what foods are coming off your card before you approve the transaction, so you can make sure that the foods you expected WIC to pay for are being paid by WIC.
- Review the midpoint carefully to avoid paying for foods you expected to be paid for by WIC. You can ask the cashier to remove foods from the transaction you thought WIC would pay for, but don’t show on the midpoint, to avoid paying for those foods with a different card or cash.
- If everything you expected WIC to pay for shows on the midpoint, approve the transaction and pay for any non-WIC items with a different payment method, like SNAP, credit, debit, or cash.
Checkout problems?
Although rare, sometimes problems can happen at checkout. Refer to the Help with Common App & Checkout Issues to help solve any problems that may come up.
I lost my WIC card. What do I do?
Contact your WIC clinic to have your card replaced. Find your clinic’s contact information using the Minnesota WIC Agency Directory. When your card is replaced, the old one will no longer work at checkout.
I want to buy more than the dollar amount of the fruits and vegetables on my card. What can I do?
If the cost of the fruit/vegetables is more than the dollar amount on your WIC card, you can pay the difference with SNAP, debit, credit, or cash.
Can I use coupons with my WIC card?
- Yes, you can use coupons to buy WIC foods. Some grocery stores may need to process your WIC transaction differently when coupons are used towards WIC foods, so please tell the cashier right away that you are using coupons and be patient. Here are some tips:
- Use your coupons towards the foods that aren’t on your WIC benefits first.
- Separate WIC foods and non-WIC foods into different transactions to make sure the coupons are being used towards the right foods.